Holden has restored the 1969 Holden Hurricane -- its first ever concept car – which earned raves when it made its debut at the 1969 Melbourne Motor Show. A group of Holden designers and engineers worked to refurbish the futuristic research vehicle, which is referred to as an experiment “to study design trend, propulsion systems and other long-range developments.”

The Hurricane is codenamed RD 001 and is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat sports car that featured an amazing series of innovative elements that were ahead of its time.

These include features like electronic digital instrument displays, station-seeking radio, automatic temperature control air conditioning, rear-vision camera and an automated route finder. This vehicle proves just how much foresight Holden has when it comes to design and engineering technology.

Many of its features have just recently been used in mass production. According to Michael Simcoe, executive director GMIO Design, Holden prides itself on its “ability to look into the future through our concept cars.”

The RD 001 was the initial project of the GMH Research and Development organization, which was composed of a small group of engineers who worked with the Advance Styling Group at the Fishermans Bend Technical Center in the 1960s.